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Romney reverses course (again) on health care

09/11/12 10:11 AMUpdated 09/06/13 07:02 AM

Mitt Romney has been running for president, almost non-stop, for six years. Health care was, not too long ago, his signature issue, and he’s been talking about the Affordable Care Act nearly every day since it became law.

And yet, inexplicably, the Republican presidential hopeful still doesn’t know his own message.

Last night, Romney appeared on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, offering the far-right host an entirely new perspective on his approach to health care policy. “Well of course I’m going to repeal Obamacare,” Romney said. “I’ve said that on the campaign trail, I think, every single day. Obamacare must be repealed – in its entirety. It’s bad policy, it’s bad law, and frankly, a $2 trillion entitlement we don’t want and we certainly can’t afford…. Obamacare is a disaster in my opinion, and has to be repealed entirely.”

I see. So Romney is for the “complete repeal” of the Affordable Care Act. That is, until Sunday, when he said he’s “not getting rid of all” of the Affordable Care Act. That is, until Monday night, at which point he intends to destroy the “entirety” of the Affordable Care Act.

He also wants to eliminate the protections for those with pre-existing conditions, and he wants to keep the protections, and he wants to eliminate the protections, and he wants to keep the protections but not really.

Will he change his mind again today? And maybe again tomorrow? Your guess is as good as mine.

And therein lies the point: Romney’s position on health care policy has slipped into incoherence. This shouldn’t please anyone, least of all his allies who can no longer trust their candidate.